TY - JOUR
T1 - Sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with multicentric/multifocal breast cancer
T2 - low false-negative rate and lack of axillary recurrence
AU - Holwitt, Dana M.
AU - Gillanders, William E.
AU - Aft, Rebecca L.
AU - Eberlein, Timothy J.
AU - Margenthaler, Julie A.
PY - 2008/10
Y1 - 2008/10
N2 - Background: Accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and rate of axillary recurrence in multicentric/multifocal (MC/MF) breast cancer are reported. Methods: From 1999 to 2006, 93 patients with MC/MF breast cancer underwent SLNB; 41 underwent axillary lymph node dissection regardless of SLN pathology (group 1), and 52 underwent axillary lymph node dissection only if an SLN was positive (group 2). Patient demographics, SLN techniques, and pathology were recorded. Results: There were no differences between the 2 groups with respect to patient age; tumor size, grade, stage, and histology; or method of SLN detection. The incidence of axillary metastasis was greater in group 1 patients (68%) compared with group 2 patients (12%) (P < .01). In group 1, the sensitivity and specificity of SLNB were 93% and 100%, respectively, with a false-negative rate of 7%. None of the 52 patients in group 2 experienced axillary recurrence (median follow-up 4.8 years). Conclusions: The accuracy of SLNB in MC/MF breast cancer is comparable with that observed in unifocal breast cancer. Despite a lower rate of SLN positivity in patients undergoing SLNB only, axillary recurrence was not observed.
AB - Background: Accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and rate of axillary recurrence in multicentric/multifocal (MC/MF) breast cancer are reported. Methods: From 1999 to 2006, 93 patients with MC/MF breast cancer underwent SLNB; 41 underwent axillary lymph node dissection regardless of SLN pathology (group 1), and 52 underwent axillary lymph node dissection only if an SLN was positive (group 2). Patient demographics, SLN techniques, and pathology were recorded. Results: There were no differences between the 2 groups with respect to patient age; tumor size, grade, stage, and histology; or method of SLN detection. The incidence of axillary metastasis was greater in group 1 patients (68%) compared with group 2 patients (12%) (P < .01). In group 1, the sensitivity and specificity of SLNB were 93% and 100%, respectively, with a false-negative rate of 7%. None of the 52 patients in group 2 experienced axillary recurrence (median follow-up 4.8 years). Conclusions: The accuracy of SLNB in MC/MF breast cancer is comparable with that observed in unifocal breast cancer. Despite a lower rate of SLN positivity in patients undergoing SLNB only, axillary recurrence was not observed.
KW - Breast Cancer
KW - Multicentric
KW - Multifocal
KW - Sentinel lymph node biopsy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=52049083439&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2008.06.009
DO - 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2008.06.009
M3 - Article
C2 - 18760396
AN - SCOPUS:52049083439
SN - 0002-9610
VL - 196
SP - 562
EP - 565
JO - American journal of surgery
JF - American journal of surgery
IS - 4
ER -